The invention relates to a method for applying metal coatings to metal substrates and is in particular concerned with gas-torch techniques wherein metal powder is deposited, as for example along an edge which is ultimately to serve as a cutting edge.
Prior techniques for the gas-torch application of metal coatings to metal substrates have involved hand-held devices requiring relative great skill in manipulation, if acceptable bonding and coating quality are to be achieved. As a practical matter, there is always a degree of uncertainty as to just how reliable the coating will be in use, so that testing procedures are costly and relatively elaborate, depending upon the degree of assurance desired. The problem is particularly acute for application of such metal coatings along a particular swath or edge which may undulate or be non-linearly characterized.